rickg37

Hi using my husbands tag
He has been accepted by the New Zealand Air force and we are just going though the immigration procedure. I'm just wondering if I'm the only wife who is mulling over what is to come , wondering if the kids are going to settle in as i have 2 teenagers who at the moment have a good group of friends.

I know i should be use to it now as i have followed my man around as he has been in this air force for 20 years but i feel like this will be totally different as i cant just pop and see the family when i want.

I may sound like it all is doom and gloom but i am really looking forward to it ,it just seems like I'm split in 2 with happiness and anticipation does every one go through this?

Spacecake799

Hi,
Yes i know just how you feel, although i've never moved anywhere before. Whilst this feels very much like a good idea im worried about most things. Im especially worried about not having enough money, and also whilst my 3 children seem very exited, i do wonder how they will cope and if they will regret us moving. It seems far easier to stay put, but such a missed opportunity if we don't go. Im sure you will be fine once your there.

Elvira

We moved with 3 teenagers to the US 5 years ago. Despite living in one of the most beautiful places on earth, wonderful schools and frequent trips back home, they never settled. Indeed, for 2 of them the move turned out to be disastrous, and we are now trying to pick up the pieces (which will end up in our family being split between 2 continents).

Unless yours are completely on board with this move, and have a clear idea of what they will be letting themselves in for, I would have VERY strong reservations about such a move.

rickg37

Hi

Well I'm glad I'm not the only one .I know my kids are excited and nervous at the same time . I guess its the unknown but we are a strong family unit and I'm sure we will cope. Its just that motherly thing you know the first day in a new school making friends all the things you worry about.

Also leaving family behind ,but I'm sure we will all make new friends and a new life for us all.

Tracy

sarahw

I can't speak from the point of view of bringing children over but if you're anything like me, expect to feel homesickness after the initial excitement wears off. However if you can work through it and appreciate the reasons you moved over here I'm sure it won't last too long.

Email/web cams make the world seem quite a small place - and it only takes a day to get home if there's a pressing need.

From other posts I've seen, most kids seem to take to the place like ducks to water - all the outdoorsy things to do!

Good luck.

mrs_kiwi

I have my moments, sometimes I'm excited, sometimes I'm terrified. It's all happening so fast.

My hubby is Navy, so I know what you mean about following him around, this is our 5th posting in the UK now and the kids have moved with us each time. We've been lucky so far as they've managed to make friends really easily. My boys are 13 & 11 now. When we go to NZ (36 days!), they'll both be in intermediate, so I'm hoping they will make some friends before one of them has to go off to High School.

My hubby is a kiwi and I'm taking him home (he's been in the UK 10 years). I always said I'd follow him to the ends of the earth, but I guess that's safe to say when it was just the ends of the UK and your family was just a 3 hour drive away. In 5 weeks time, they'll be a 3 hour drive and a 28 hour flight!

I know webcams and computers make things easier these days, but there's nothing like a comforting hug from your mum (have to stop now before I get all emotional again!).

Andrew Cross

I was very nervous about bringing my kids to NZ. They had lived in the same house all their lives and had a large group of friends. I was most concerned about my teenagers as I thought it would be harder for them to become part of a school where most kids are already settled into their groups. Within a couple of weeks though they were all talking about friends they had made and who they were going to meet at the weekends to go to the cinema etc. I think for yourself the key is to keep busy. Once the 'honeymoon' period is over which I think for me it has ( we have been here nearly 5 months ) you come to realise that you are not on holiday and that its home. Personally I keep busy, with the kids and work etc. I find that if I have too much time on my hands I think about the UK and family and friends and you get a little homesick. As for the money side of things, we are not well off but we never were in the UK either. We are not extravagant though and we can put food on the table, petrol in the car and get out and about at the weekends. I doubt we will have a holiday this year as flights out of NZ I think are quite expensive. I did buy a big tent though so maybe we will do that when the weather gets warmer. I just thought to myself whats the worst that can happen? If I dont like it we can always go home and when I asked my children recently are you happy here or would you prefer to go back they ALL said they like it here better. Nuff said then

Nice Guy

My wife was the driving force behind our move and my son was very reluctant to come over………..now………….

My wife and I adore NZ, my son is a Kiwi boy/man and my daughter is a Kiwi girl.

We are very lucky, others have not been so lucky…………..it’s horses for courses and ultimately only you and your family can make the decision.

Good luck!

jonesey

HI this is micks wife sherren my husband and i are going to new zealand in the air force in october and to say the least we cant wait to get back there as we lived there for 2 years, only came back last year for family but nothing changes here and family have there lives to live just like we do, it will take you a while to settle but its what you make it i went to night school out there and became a nail technician and met lots of friends, all our children loved it there they did so much more than in england and they cant wait to go back if you need to know about schools drop me a line or anything else you want to know, hope this helps a little

waynepfry

Hi also using hubbies tag
we move out to Auckland in august 06,
bags under my eyes from sleepless nights,

I laugh and then cry,at some of the discussion : i have learnt a lot and think you have to try for yourselves.
We have three kids, one will be sixteen when we arrive and she is not happy at the moment, just got a new boyfriend!!!!
We are going on a adventure and if it all goes tits up then least we did have the guts and the chance to go ,we are very lucky
Take the bull by the horns and enjoy the ride!!!!!!!!
Good luck Jane

rickg37

Hi

Thanks for all your messages i know that it will be hard at first i dont expect it to be a picnic ,I realise that NZ will have its good points and bad points and that every one has a different idea on what they are.

I guess next year i will be writing to people who are still to move telling them that we all go through the fear factor but you do come out the other side so NZ here we come October cant come quick enough now.

Tracy

rita narbett

Hi Tracey

Where abouts r u in UK? Where r u going in NZ? We are in Banbury, Oxon. We fly out at the end of June. Got 3 children aged 2, 5 & 7. May be all us stressed out mums should get together when we reach NZ?

rickg37

Hi
We are in Oxford and are going out to Auckland the beginning of Oct as i said our children are a bit older than yours but its still the same old worries.

Where in NZ are you going?

Regards
Tracy